A New Ending: The Siege of Camp Half-Blood
by historyfreak12
Summary: With monster attacks growing ever more frequent and with Gaea's power increasing by the day, a former servant of Kronos is forced to seek refuge at camp Half-blood. However, with the Twelfth Legion closing in, he will have to put aside old grudges and fight for his new life sooner than he expected. Rated k for some violence.
1. Chapter 1

_Chapter One_

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The boy raced along the dank alley. He raised several eyebrows as he passed by, but for the most part the alley's occupants were content to let him pass. Whatever trouble he was in, he could face it himself. His footsteps had only just faded away into the distance when a squad of police appeared, tearing after the boy.

He stumbled on a loose paving stone but righted himself and continued running, ignoring his protesting ankle. The pain was excruciating, but it would be nothing compared to what he could expect if he was caught. He rounded a corner at, straight towards a waiting officer. He took a quick gamble, twisted to the side and hurled himself forwards.

_Hope she's as light as she looks, _he thought.

The unexpected move took her by surprise and the pair landed in a tangled mess of limbs. She uttered a feral snarl and for a brief moment her incisors elongated into a pair of razor sharp fangs. He had no time for surprise and from his place on the floor, kicked out with both feet, catching her square on the abdomen. She flew backwards, striking a wall with a metallic clang. Unconscious, she slid down, leaving a sizable indent behind her.

He got up and frowned at her prone form. Bending down for a closer look he noticed her eyes were blurred, cloudy. His hand reached to open her eye and at his touch, her uniform began to fade, revealing a pair of mismatched legs, pale skin and a sharp pair of protruding fangs. His hand disappeared into his backpack and then reappeared, clutching a bronze dagger. It hovered in mid air, shining menacingly in the alley's dim light before it flashed downwards. He watched impassively as she dissolved, leaving behind a pile of dust and filling the air with the acrid smell of sulfur. A sudden wail made him turn his head. Another Empousa was in the alley, staring at the spot recently occupied by her sister.

He grabbed his pack and hurried off in the other direction, only to find another Empousa waiting for him. Unlike the first, her legs were planted firmly on the ground, ready. Not overly enthusiastic about the prospect of another collision he put on a burst of speed and leaped sideways. His feet touched wall and then pushed off, the momentum yielding him enough height to grab an overhanging clothes line. He swung like a wet rag, once, twice, before he launched himself at the gaping monster.

His feet connected with her head with a satisfying thunk and she crumpled to the ground. Straightening from his crouch he began to run, only to be halted by the tell-tale clang of bronze feet, closing in from both directions. In search of his dagger he dug through his pack, brushing against a warm bundle as he did so.

_Maybe I should have remained hidden, _he thought_. _It was certainly beginning to look like it. He had exposed himself and attracted the attention of several monsters too many while at it. The rewards had been meager at best. _Two, three days worth of food? Hardly worthwhile._

He dug deeper and felt the keen edge of the dagger's blade. He gripped the dagger's hilt and pulled it out of the pack, tucking it into his boot. He could worry about supplies later. What he needed now was to go incognito. _Naturally, doing that requires me doubling back past a pack of bloodthirsty Empusai. I love my life._

Before they caught sight of him and closed their trap, he clambered onto an overhanging fire-escape and concealed himself as groups of Empusai arrived below. They worked quickly, searching every shadow in the alley for him without result. For all of their thoroughness none of them thought to look upwards. He made a silent resolution to one day thank whichever Olympian oversaw fugitives, perhaps with something grilled.

Once they had finished scouring the alley and moved on, he dropped down from the fire escape, landing softly on the uneven paving. His ankle flared up in protest but for the moment adrenaline reined in the pain. Backtracking through the maze of alleys was a befuddling experience on the best of days, yet he moved with purpose, following the mental map he had drawn up over the last few months.

Occasionally a lone Empousa wandered too close for comfort and he silently dispatched it with his dagger. For once it seemed his dysfunctional ancestry seemed to be proving itself useful.

The last alley opened out into a wide street. Beyond that a wire fence was all that stood between him and safety. Once across the street he pressed as close to the fence as he dared and made his way to his entrance. The gap in the fence was small but just about accommodated his thin frame. Safely inside the fence he took a step forwards and then froze as he spotted two Empousai blocking the doorway to the tower. He cursed and backed away, out of their sight.

_How did they find it?_

He skirted the edge of the fence and arrived at the back door unnoticed, only to find more Empusai standing guard. For a few seconds he considered taking them by surprise but he quelled the notion almost as soon as it emerged. No, he would have to find another way. All the other entrances garnered similar results and he slumped against an unguarded section of the towers wall, defeated. He glanced, glumly upwards.

The idea had formed a while ago, but now, with all other alternatives gone it looked like the only way. He stood and ran his hand over the wall looking for a handhold. The aged mortar had crumbled away in places and he soon found a hole large enough to accommodate his hand.

He took a tentative heave and lifted himself skywards. For some reason the pleasant sensation of weightlessness only increased the further he ascended the wall. He looked back down and the otherwise gut wrenching altitude failed to evoke any reaction from his stomach. Energized, he settled into an easy rhythm, feeling for a handhold, establishing a firm grip and then hauling himself upwards.

Despite the thrill of the climb the loose gravel on the roof was a welcome sight. He dropped onto it, his limbs aching from the climb. Reluctantly he peeled himself from the gravel and approached an outbuilding, whose door led to the musty landing of a stairwell. Mold covered much of the walls and the slightest vibration sent dust flying into the air. He trod carefully on the stairs, making sure to avoid the rotten planks that would send him on an express ride to the ground floor.

Several tedious flights of stairs later he yanked open a door and entered an equally dark hallway. As always he turned left, walked ten paces and then felt for a door handle. It was there, sealed with a solid padlock. He slipped out a key and jammed it in. After a few hurried twists the lock flew open. Once inside he shut the door and surveyed the place with distaste. _Home sweet home_, he thought sarcastically. To him, a ramshackle eyesore seemed closer to the mark.

He'd cleaned up as best he could over the past months. The walls were not crusted with mold and there was considerably less dust swimming about in the air. He made his way towards the solitary cupboard and yanked the door open. He breathed a sigh of relief as he found his sword and supplies, as he had left them. _What in the- _The faint sound of creaking floorboards alerted him to someone's presence. _Time to go._

He strapped the sword over his shoulder and quickly stuffed the rest of his supplies into the backpack. As the creaking got nearer it became apparent that more than one someones were approaching rather too quickly for his liking. Wrestling a the last of his supplies into the pack he slung it over his shoulder and reentered the hallway.

It appeared empty yet the audible sound of creaking floorboards persisted, emanating from his right. Throwing caution to the wind he veered left ignoring his now, extremely audible footsteps. He had not gone five paces when a faint glimmer began to appear round the corner, getting brighter as it approached.

The light cast the well defined shadow of flickering manes of hair, fangs and claws onto the wall. Before they came around the bend, he backtracked and ducked into the stairwell. He took the stable steps two at a time, heading for the roof. The air buffeting the roof felt relaxing but his reverie was brought to an abrupt end by the sharp crunch of gravel. _Surprisingly quick, for creatures with bronze legs. _He turned around and counted their feet as they poured from the stairwell, carefully averting his eyes from their hypnotic gaze. _Ten, eleven, twelve. I'm in trouble._

They kept their distance and with the exception of one of the younger looking Empusai they did not seem particularly interested in attacking him. After a tense silence the tallest of the Empusai stepped forward, the others hastily parting before her.

She spoke, her voice inhumanly sweet,"Give up half-blood, look into my eyes and we will bring you to our mistress unharmed". Still averting his eyes he drew his sword in reply. The Empousai shuffled nervously at the sight of the celestial bronze but she hushed them with a sharp glare.

"Now, now put that down," she spoke again, her voice if even possible, several octaves higher.

_Maybe... I should put down the sword?_

Her sweet tone jarred his focus and an over-eager Empusai lunged for his neck. Jerked back into reality, he ducked under her wild swipe and sliced clean through her torso. She let off an ear-piercing wail before bursting into a shower of golden dust.

"Disgusting," Aquilus complained, brushing at the dust covering his face. The tall one screeched, her honeyed tones gone. Her eyes grew a deeper shade crimson as she watched, helplessly as the last specks of golden dust vanished. Sensing her anger he took a cautionary step back.

Several other Empusai rushed forward but she halted them with a wave of her hand. "This whelp is mine," she said. Then, as if her eyes weren't intimidating enough, her hair exploded into an inferno, its light illuminating the dark roof.

She aimed a punch at him which he casually sidestepped. He frowned as she failed to lurch forward. Instead she cut her lunge short and swiped sideways, raking his face with her claws. He managed to suppress a scream and quickly backed away, blood streaming from his face.

"What do you want with me?" he asked, stalling for time.

Clearly enjoying his plight she answered,"Kronos was scattered around the globe months ago. Most if not all of the major Titans are imprisoned. We serve a new master. A master who has new plans for you."

"I'm flattered by the offer but tell your master I refused. I was a monsters pawn once. It won't happen a second time." The cuts no longer bleeding, Aquilus rose and raised his sword. Surprised by his recovery she gave a frustrated snarl and surged forward. He delayed his strike until the last-minute before whipping his blade downwards. Astonishingly she twisted to the side, skimming past the blade's edge. Aquilus lurched forward, off-balance. Her arm came back around and the force of the blow sent him tumbling to the ground. She closed in and swung downwards only for her claws to be met hat halfway by his sword.

She pressed harder, whispering as she did so, "What happened Aquilus? I remember you were much sharper with your sword."

If he was surprised by the mention of his name he didn't show it. Instead he brought his knee up and reached for the dagger with his free hand. She pressed his blade further, a triumphant expression on her face. Suddenly, it was morphed into one of disbelief as the dagger impaled her stomach. She too burst into dust. He stood, unsteadily while the other Empusai milled around, momentarily unsure of what to do.

Before anything else could be done the breeze began to flare up. It ignored Aquilus but drove into the assembled Empusai and knocked them over as if they weighed little more than paper clips. They picked themselves up, torn between capturing him and saving their own skins. Before they could decide on a course of action the wind blew harder, knocking them to the ground. Then as if fed up of playing the wind picked them up one last time before throwing them over the edge of the roof. Aquilus remained untouched.

His immediate problems over, Aquilus scanned the roof, a nagging sensation at the back of his skull returning with a vengeance, beating against his skull and keeping his pulse racing despite the lack of any visible threat. _Nothing, yet I could have sworn I-._

"You're not that good at this game are you?" the amused voice was female and painfully familiar. He looked around again. Still nothing. The voice rang out again, clearly suppressing laughter, "Perhaps try looking above you."

Aquilus complied with the odd request and groaned at who he saw. A young woman stood atop an outbuilding gazing coolly back at him. It was clear that she wasn't human. Matching most basketball players in height and dressing in an old-fashioned tunic and sandals was unusual. The quiver-full of arrows slung over her back along with the spear nestled in her right hand were downright bizarre.

"Hello little brother," her severe features failed to soften as she spoke.

"Hello, Aura. Finally decided to visit?" Aquilus replied.

Uncharacteristically she ignored the jibe, instead, furtively scanning the sky. "Do you know anywhere we can talk that is less open?" she asked.

"Excuse me?"

"Has it ever occurred to you that this war has distracted the gods not blinded them," she snapped.

Aquilus frowned, _short-tempered with a sharp tongue to match; just as I remembered her._

"Follow me."

The pair left the roof and descended the now empty stairwell. He ushered her inside the apartment and pointed her to the place's only armchair. He leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, watched her carefully as she sat. He smiled at the look of distaste on her face. She looked up at him and shook her head. "You look a mess," she observed, indicating the overgrown hair lining his shoulders and the ragged clothes hanging off his thin frame.

He shrugged. His physical appearance had been the least of his concerns for the past few months. Exasperated at his lack of concern, Aura clicked her fingers and his outline glowed a brilliant gold. When the glow faded his clothes had been repaired and his hair evenly brushed the nape of his neck. "Thank you. Why have you suddenly decided to leave exile and what does it have to do with me?" She pointed at him, marveling at how quickly he could alternate between gratitude and suspicion.

"I will have you know that I quite like the windy city. As for what I want with you? I'm afraid you already know why I am here."

"Pardon?" He feigned confusion and prayed her memory had taken a dive since their last conversation. How long ago had that been anyway? Two, three years?

"Enough Aquilus," Aura raised a tired hand, " I have neither the time nor the will for any verbal sparring. Are you coming back home or not?"

_Obviously not._

"You're not giving me much choice. If I go back to father he'll kill me."

She grinned, whether at his statement or the thought of their father running him through, he couldn't tell. Considering it was Aura he guessed it was the latter.

"I know father does not look kindly upon people who defy him but he will not kill you. After all, father never could lay a finger on his precious son," she said this with such venom that Aquilus took an instinctive step back.

"Jealous?" It was a poorly chosen question, he knew. But he had to put up some sort of a fight. She said nothing and simply stared incredulously at him. Aloof to her worsening mood he continued, "And whose fault is that? Who defied her father, challenged the goddess of the hunt and suffered the consequences?"

Despite the distinct lack of a fan an insistent breeze built up inside the room and sent dust flying in all directions. Aura herself had wraiths of smoke curling off her glowing frame. Aquilus, finally realizing this, spoke quickly to placate her.

"Aura I'm sorry, but I said I'm not going back. If I do I'll have to live out the rest of my life as an ordinary mortal," he paused, shuddering at the prospect, "I spent twelve years living that life and I have no desire to live it again."

"Don't be so dramatic. I'll have you know some mortals can be quite pleasant," Aura countered her temper seemingly under control.

"Coming from the woman who once had a fling with Dionysus I dread your definition of pleasant."

Aura's eyes flashed with suppressed emotion. Anger, or was it sorrow? Aquilus immediately regretted his words.

"There is another option. A safe haven for half-bloods," She explained, her voice remaining level.

"That sounds bearable. Where?" he asked, hoping she was not thinking of _the_ camp for Half-bloods. _She couldn't right?_

"Camp Half-blood."

Aquilus choked.

_Has she finally lost her mind?_

"I am never setting foot in that camp," he said in a low voice, "never."

Aura scowled and gave him an exasperated look. "Why not? Camp will protect you from the servants of Gae-"

"Aura look at me! Do you really think they will accept the son of an exile?"

"I am not here to argue with you. You may not carry the blood of an Olympian but you are still a Half-blood. Think of it, Camp could be your new start."

_A new start,_ he mused. The prospect was tempting. Rather than show her the doubt worming its way into his expression he turned away. Aura shrugged and stood. Another less experienced person would have tried to reason with him. She knew better.

Instead she padded towards the rooms window, tossing something onto a nearby table as she went. Aquilus shuffled uncomfortably before turning around to face her.

"Aura," she stopped in her tracks, turned around and fixed him with an emotionless stare, "thank you." His tone was warm and her severe expression softened ever so slightly. Without a word she pushed the windows open.

"You do know the doors that way?"

"Yes I do, what of it?" Aura asked, her tone tone careless. She dissolved, a light breeze flowing out of the window.

Aquilus watched the spot she had recently occupied with regret. As the last of her form dissolved he approached the table and picked up the leather pouch she had left behind. Upending it a handful of golden drachma, a roll of mortal cash and a note rolled into his hand. The note read:

_Camp Half-Blood, Half-Blood Hill, Farm Road 3.141_

_Long Island, New York 11954 _

_Your Welcome_

He smiled and tucked the pouch into his newly repaired jacket. With all excitement gone the pang of his wounds had resurfaced with a vengeance. Out of curiosity he drew his sword and viewed his reflection.

The cuts on his face had almost finished closing up and the pain in his ankle had subsided to a slight throbbing. Aquilus wiped off the worst of the blood away but left the cuts alone. His dark hair hid the longest of them and the scars would fade away in a few weeks anyway.

Against his will his his battered body began to sway, begging for sleep. The last thing Aquilus remembered was contemplating his course of action as his feet gave way beneath him. _I'll decide in the morning_, he told himself as he collapsed into the chair.

* * *

_**And it begins! The next chapter should be up soon. A bit of a slow start but feel free to leave feedback.**_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

* * *

_Haven't ridden one of these in years_, Aquilus remembered as the Capitol limited raced towards its destination, blending the surrounding landscape into a continuous blur.

Aquilus shifted in his seat, trying valiantly propping up his drooping eyelids. Simultaneously he watched the other passengers on the train closely, watching for anything that would betray the presence of a monster or, if his usual luck was anything to go by, monsters.

His efforts were jarred by a loud snore. He turned and glared murder at the man seated next to him. Unwittingly the man responded with another boisterous snore.

Aquilus considered swatting the tiresome mortal but stayed his hand, remembering what had happened last time he had struck one.

He had been pushing his way through a crowded station, nervously biting his lips as he eyed the crowd with a wary eye. Their endless chatter morphed into one endless burst of static putting him further on edge.

A guard, noticing his age, called out to him and when he failed to answer, approached and placed a hand of his shoulder. Aquilus hit out without thinking and man fell to the ground, clutching his stomach. Aquilus took off but had not gotten far when something heavy crashed into him, driving him to the floor, stars in his eyes. When his head ceased ringing he found himself lying flush with the floor, something heavy pinning him down.

An officer did not take long to arrive and after a hushed exchange with the floored victim she stood and looked at Aquilus, disbelief clear on her face.

"I'm afraid we'll have to detain you for assault sir," she paused, noticing his expression, "why are you smiling?"

"You see officer," Aquilus clicked his fingers at her before explaining," I am completely innocent and you will release me without further action."

She frowned, nodded and then frowned again. Her head jerked several times, as if two entities were busy fighting for control inside. His feet tapped the floor at a furious pace as he waited for her response.

"That will be two hundred please," she droned. A side effect of the mist?

Aquilus's smile disappeared as she held out an expectant hand. Scowling, Aquilus dug into his pouch and slapped a wad of cash into her waiting palm. After jotting down some (fake) details, she let him go, neglecting to question why a minor was travelling alone with that much money.

Aquilus stomped away, his narrow escape scant consolation for loss of most of his money. From then on Aquilus restrained himself, wrapping himself in the mist to avoid answering anymore awkward questions about his age. The snoring man was stretching his patience to the limit though.

On a sudden whim he looked up and spotted one of the passengers shaking violently. He stood and crept forward for a closer look. Despite the man's violent shaking the other passengers seemed blissfully unaware of his plight.

A meter away from the man his foot made contact with a bump on the floor. He sprung back but relaxed as he recognized the harmless object. It was the man's phone, lying abandoned on the floor. Pausing to tuck the phone in his jacket, he walked to the man's side. The man's muscles were tensed, as if they were straining against invisible bonds. Before Aquilus could he do anything, the man's convulsions grew weaker and then ceased altogether. He slumped back into his seat, eyes a brilliant gold.

Aquilus yanked his hand back and raced back to his seat, his heart already in overdrive. Making sure no one was looking he reached into his bag and slipped a dagger up his jacket sleeve. Why do I get the feeling I'm going to need it? He looked back up and the man had turned around and fixed his shining eyes on him.

Surprisingly, the man made no move to approach, seemingly content to sit back and watch from a distance. Aquilus squinted at the man, looking for any signs of the mist. Minus the man's eyes, Aquilus could discern nothing out of the ordinary. He looked back down, hoping the man's unsettling gaze would move on.

He needn't have bothered as the man's eyes remained fixated on him. Everything he knew told him to close the distance between them and turn the man to dust. But he stayed where he was, grinding his teeth. Shrouded by the mist or not, he could not afford to end up on the wrong end of a police chase. The man noticed this and sent flashed him a smug smile.

Aquilus resisted the temptation to fling the dagger at him in reply. _How much longer to New York?_ Four hours and forty-five minutes later the station platform rolled into view. Aquilus jumped up and dashed to the doors grabbing an overhead strap.

"A wise idea, half-blood," someone remarked. Aquilus fought down a shriek and instead fixed his eyes on the platform, silently counting downwards.

_Ten, nine..._

"You serve Gaea don't you, Eidolon?"

The voice hissed in reply, "Are you going to come quietly? You will not be harmed."

"Funny, I remember a certain Empousa saying that to me. Right before she tried to turn me into half-blood confetti."

"Empusai are hotheaded creatures. I assure you I will follow Gaea's orders to the letter."

_Six._

"If I do come quietly what's in it for me?"

The man paused for a while, as if contemplating what to say. "You will be sacrificed in Athens during the festivities of Elpis."

Aquilus's face remained level but his brow began to glisten with sweat.

"You're not the most persuasive Eidolon out there, are you?" he observed weakly.

"Do not test me, child. I warn you, the Empousai are mere children compared to us," the man growled.

_Two, one…_

"Noted!" Aquilus exclaimed as he spun around and kicked the man. Caught by surprise, he hurtled backwards into the embrace of a plush seat, swearing profusely.

Aquilus bolted for the doors, ignoring the angered protests of the other commuters as he pushed his way through. He jumped onto the platform and winced as his ankle gave another reproachful twinge. _Oh, perfect!_

Aquilus wormed his way through the packed place, not daring to look behind him. Pausing only to read signposts he ran for the surface. A row of turnstiles appeared in front of him, blocking him from an ascending staircase. Once through the turnstile and at the summit of the steps he looked back and saw the man again. His gait was jerky, as if the eidolon was still getting used to the body. Nevertheless he was catching up, fast.

Aquilus turned towards the doors but hesitated at what he saw. Everywhere he looked people, more than he had ever seen, packing the streets. He looked at the approaching man, then the street, and back again, his foot tapping away at the tiled floor.

A grimace on his face he pushed into the crowd. Unlike before, the crowd was not thin enough nor nice enough to allow him passage. Pressed in all sides there was little he could do except move with them. _I'm beginning to dislike crowds_, he decided.

"Stuck too, are you?" an annoyingly familiar voice remarked.

_ How?_ Suppressing another embarrassing shriek Aquilus looked around and saw the man behind him. He too was penned in, though considering how fast he seemed capable of moving that was of little comfort. At a traffic light the press eased and the man darted forwards and grabbed Aquilus's wrist, who tried to twist away but failed to loosen the man's tight grip.

"Now, now, don't fight," the man crooned and tightened his hold. Aquilus felt his eyelids droop and against his will his mind grew blurred. Suppressing the growing panic inside him he slid out his dagger and swung it in the man's direction. Aquilus heard a nervous hiss as the Eidolon flinched away, loosening its grip. For good measure Aquilus elbowed the man, evoking a satisfying crack, before pulling free.

Free, he hurried away. He swerved into a back road hoping to lose the man, and any inquisitive police, in an alley. Looking back over his shoulder he failed to notice the boy until it was too late. At full speed Aquilus ran headlong into the bot at full speed, sending them both spinning to the ground.

"I'm so so-" Aquilus began. He swallowed his words as he got his first good look at the boy's sword. Swinging from his hip a golden gladius rested in it's scabbard. The weapon's appearance was familiar... _Mt Othrys!_

Unbidden, resentment washed over Aquilus in an unstoppable wave. His right hand gripped the dagger in a vise like grip. The floored boy's eyes narrowed and his hand crept towards his sword hilt. Aquilus feigned a smile and lowered his arm.

_He's not my enemy anymore. He could even help me to camp_, Aquilus reasoned.

The boy got up, his lopsided eyes briefly settling on the dagger before moving on to Aquilus, giving him a quick once over.

"Who are you?" he asked, his tone curious.

"Aquilus. Who are you?" Aquilus answered slowly, still wary.

"Dakota. From the looks of that dagger I gather that you're a demigod?"

Aquilus nodded.

"May I see your dagger?"

Aquilus hesitated. Not wishing to aggravate the tough looking boy, he held it out. Dakota reached out for it. Before his hand connected with the dagger, his fingers curled into a fist and swung upwards, catching Aquilus square on the jaw.

_I'll remember that you sneak_, Aquilus promised as he collapsed, unconscious. Dakota's face was apologetic as he slung Aquilus over his shoulder. His scouting partner Gwendolyn chose the moment to rejoin him.

"Dakota. Who is that?" she asked as she approached the two, wincing as she noticed the dark bruise forming on Aquilus's jaw.

"Greek demigod. Come on, we're taking him to Octavian for questioning," Dakota grunted, the combined weight of his weapon, armour and the boy weighing him down.

"Here let me take him," Gwendolyn said holding her arms out. With less armour and armed only with a dagger Gwen found the going easier.

"Are you sure he's one of them?" she asked.

"Look at his dagger Gwen; its celestial bronze. Plus, what Roman would wander so close to a Greek camp, unclaimed or not?"

Gwen shrugged halfheartedly. In truth, her mind was swimming with concern. for her friend and the legion. Reyna had been gone for only a few hours and Octavian was already shaking things up, replacing officers and drawing up plans for an attack on Long Island. She trusted Octavian less than a venomous snake. Considering how he had stabbed her in the back, the judgement seemed somewhat appropriate.

"What do you think Octavian will do with him?" she asked, trying not to unsettle Dakota with her uncustomary silence.

"Interrogate him to see if he knows anything useful. We'll need all the information we can get before we attack."

When we attack, Gwendolyn was no coward but the prospect did not sit well with her conscience. nor with her recently eaten lunch. _I shouldn't even be here_, she thought, frowning. _I'm supposed to be back in new Rome, getting my degree_.

Her studies had been put on old after the of the Graeci's treachery, as Reyna had recalled all veterans. Obeying her former commander, and intent on defending her home she had consented, taking up command alongside Dakota. This attack was not what she had rejoined the legion for.

"I specifically remember Reyna ordering a ceasefire before she left. Octavian is taking his power too far," she said, more to herself than anyone. She had given up trying to persuade Dakota otherwise a while ago.

Dakota winced at the implication, "Octavian is our acting praetor, Gwen. We can't disobey his orders."

"Thats why he paired us up, isn't it. You're here to keep me in line aren't you?" Gwen said, anger evident in her voice.

Dakota fiddled with his armour, his sword, anything to avoid facing her. What else could he say?

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter, chapter three should be out some time this month. As usual, feel free to leave feedback!**


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